Hinsdale Central Foundation: On a mission to support staff, teachers, administrators, and students

The Hinsdale Central Foundation (HCF) began in 1991 with a mission to support Hinsdale Central’s staff, teachers, administrators, and students, via alumni, parents, community members, and business leaders.

HCF relies heavily on the community, partnering with organizations such as Rotary International. “We would not be here without the wonderful community that supports us,” said HCF President Cameron Cimala.

Project Achieve, a grant to help students struggling academically, and the J. Kyle Braid Leadership Program, an avenue to help students lead, grow and give back to their communities, are a couple of the sponsored initiatives. HCF also runs Teacher Appreciation Week, offering students an opportunity to donate in their teachers’ names in lieu of gifts.

HCF is best known for sponsoring the HC Hall of Fame. “The Hall of Fame is a way to honor and give back to people who have been prominent to the HC community,” said Cimala. “It’s not just all-star athletes. We look for well-rounded individuals who went on after graduation and gave back to their community in various ways.”

Cimala, an ’08 graduate of the school, knows that the Red Devil spirit is worth honoring. “HC has always been a very community-driven school,” he opines. “Hall of Fame inductees don’t take no for an answer. They have a vision and do whatever it takes to fulfill it.”

Hinsdale Central Hall of Fame 2023 Inductees

Stephen Cashman
Richard Eck
J. Scott Spiker
Daniel Jones
David Tetenbaum Hope
(Posthumously)
Stanley “Sandy” Walton III
(Posthumously)

The process of nomination to the Hall of Fame is open to anyone who sees a candidate they feel has gone above and beyond. The form is available on their website. Once a nomination is submitted, the nominee is presented before a Hall of Fame subcommittee, which reviews and votes on the submission.

Those accepted by the subcommittee are then confirmed by the full Board. Nominations not initially accepted are placed back in a pool to be considered the following year.

The induction ceremony dinner always takes place on the night of the Thursday of Homecoming Week. This year, it will be held at Ruth Lake Country Club. It is open to the public but is a ticketed event, as it is HCF’s main fundraising event of the year. “It’s always an interesting night, as inductees recount their experiences at HC and how that experience influenced their award,” said Cimala.

“We’re doing everything we can for the students
of Hinsdale Central. We’re trying to enrich the lives of the students and the students that will come after them.”

– Hinsdale Central Foundation President, Cameron Cimala

Recently, the Hall of Fame moved from a brick-and-mortar room within the school to a digital format. Every recipient of this honor may now be found on two large flatscreens located on the flights of steps at the Grant St entrance.

The screens scroll automatically, but the option to select an inductee’s name and locate their profile immediately is also available. Plaques that formerly adorned the Hall of Fame may now be found in the halls of the departments where these individuals have spent their careers.

The group meets bimonthly, in addition to the events they hold during the school year. They are currently seeking a treasurer. “We’re not an exclusive club,” said Cimala. “And you don’t have to be an HC graduate to be a part of it. We have parents of students, former faculty and community members, as well as others, who want to have a voice and give back to the HC community.”

“We’re doing everything we can for the students of Hinsdale Central. We’re trying to enrich the lives of the students and the students that will come after them.”

For more information or to introduce a candidate for the HC Hall of Fame, visit www.hinsdalecentralfoundation.org. ■